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Automotive components don’t care about marketing claims or assumptions. 

They don’t negotiate with hopes, convenience, or optimism. They operate under physics, geometry, metallurgy, heat, torque, and weight—every time, without exception.

From seat belts to wheel bearings, or even something as mundane as a climate-control knob, nearly every component in your vehicle began life as a draft or CAD model. Engineers and designers evaluate each for fit, weight, and performance before it becomes a physical component. That process (or a more primitive version of it, long before computers played a role) has given us slow but steady advancements in automotive design. 

In general, the industry has made incremental improvements on the same basic mechanical formulas that have existed for well over a century. Internal combustion engines in modern cars are surprisingly similar to those first versions mass-produced over a hundred years ago. Likewise, transmissions and related components that deliver power to the wheels still follow century-old principles. 

But… Things are changing

At some point, like any field of engineering, returns on effort diminish, and brilliant minds push for a quantum leap. Today’s fuel-based engine technology is incredible compared to where it started and shouldn’t be discounted. Especially true when paired with advancements in electronic safety, efficiency, emissions, and performance systems. Most drivers are unaware of the instantaneous or constant interventions these modern control systems make as the car moves down the road. By design, they are seamless and undetectable. But they’re there and genuinely effective. Personally, the more I learn about safety interventions in modern automobiles, the more grateful I am to the engineers who develop these systems.

Electronics allow us to see insane jumps in horsepower made available to any licensed driver willing to pay the insurance premiums. 

We may think we are capable of handling a Dodge Demon with over a thousand horsepower in its pure, raw form, and that our inborn driving skills are just that good. At the risk of upsetting a few readers, it’s the car’s advanced control systems that keep it straight and pointing where you want to go. Fun? Oh yeah, certainly. But with the nannies turned off… that’s a whole different story. 

Whether or not we’ve reached “peak” internal combustion advancement is not for me to speculate. I hope not, but we are right in the middle of an engineering bookmark, historically speaking. Calling it a quantum leap may be hyperbolic, but even without my promised flying car, it’s still a fascinating time to be alive. 

TESLA- The Change Agent

The obvious segue here would be to discuss battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and no doubt their development has been a major driver of change. But the leap forward is now broad and has permeated the entire industry. I’ll give credit to Elon and Tesla for shaking things up. Tesla demonstrated new ways to approach automotive design, assembly, function, and use—giving carmakers permission to break decades-old habits. They are definitely set on disrupting the sales model, too. I am not about to take on that discussion here, but the traditional factory-to-dealer-to-buyer dynamic has its warts and more power to them.   

I know this is an overly glorified summary, but my impression was that Tesla designers placed a car rendering on a drafting table, then questioned every single aspect of it. Moreso than just setting out to build EVs, their innovations are not all EV-specific.   

The one single accomplishment that should be respected, even by the most ardent Tesla haters (they’re out there), is that Elon and his team have become a mainstream auto manufacturer in an industry where all the conditions would indicate it just wasn’t possible. I can’t say if a mammoth operation like the Automotive side of BYD would exist if Tesla hadn’t persevered and proven market adoption, but with them and similar players, we are bound to see some more incredible innovations in the next ten years.

Some brands saw Tesla as an earth-shaking threat and geared up to commit—sometimes overcommit—to an EV-Only future. Others, such as Toyota, were not so reactionary. They believe there are years of improvements yet to be extracted from fuel-based systems. 

Mazda deserves a mention here. They are a fascinating company and fiercely independent. One of the quieter Japanese brands, Mazda is a willing player in the EV future, while believing there will always be demand for the analog-ish, human-to-car interface that creates passionate drivers. If anyone can achieve that in an EV, it may very well be Mazda. The Miata is my evidence. If a Miata emerges in some electrified form, I am confident Mazda will retain that car’s original formula. I’m basing that on how unapologetically strict they have been with the Miata since year one.

Factory-supplied Spare Tires Are Victims of Advancement.

With rapid innovations, even the most mundane, budget-priced new car on a dealer’s lot has advancements that were rare or non-existent ten years ago. There’s a trickle-down effect. Your new car is now safer, more efficient, and likely more capable than its decade-old version.

This trickle-down is driven by competing brands trying to win you over, as it should be, but more so by carmakers required to meet increasingly strict safety and efficiency standards. Yes, prices are driven up as a result, which itself warrants an entire discussion on where car prices are headed. But safety and efficiency standards have never been higher across all models and price points. The industry is struggling to balance these pressures that drive up costs while making cars cleaner and safer, but they’re also aware that prices are keeping many buyers out of the market.  

Almost half of all new passenger vehicles sold in the US and Canada no longer have a spare tire. 

The disappearance of factory-supplied spare tires is concerning to new-car buyers. We hear about it daily, and honestly, “concerning” is putting it nicely. Our customers, although happy they found Modern Spare, are not afraid to unleash heavily on what used to be their favorite car brand. We have heard some choice words pointed directly at the carmakers. 

Maybe you just purchased a new Honda CR-V Hybrid. You’re impressed with the comfort, safety, and efficiency. Despite the average price creeping upward, it fits your need for practicality, reliability, and convenience. A few months later, you happen to notice— No spare tire. Or, making matters worse, you discover there’s no spare while on a road trip and on a very remote highway—now what?

Ten to fifteen years ago, you would never ask your sales agent: “Does it have a spare tire?”. A spare tire was just a given. 

So, why would a company like Honda quietly decide not to include a spare? Today, it’s a legit question—whether you know to ask about a spare tire before you buy the car or find out the hard way— the answer matters.

To be fair, we shouldn’t single out and pick on Honda. They’re following the same formula as most other carmakers. But why would manufacturers make a decision that creates stress and could harm their reputations?

Spare Tire Exclusion – It’s a Growing Trend Driven by Data 

To say that spare tires are disappearing as just another sneaky “shrinkflation” method (similar to your now-very-thin but still-tall cereal box) is only part of a bigger picture. A series of interconnected factors drives the perfect storm that eliminates your spare tire.

Let’s walk through them here-

1. Required efficiency standards combined with competing carmakers desperate to “out-efficient” the competition ( Think- EV range, estimated MPG figures, etc. ) 
2. Modern drivetrains and safety systems that won’t tolerate the typical old donut spares.
3. Engineering resources focused elsewhere, leaving the design of a suitable spare off the priority list.
4. Data that indicates most spare tires are rarely used during the typical first owner cycle (Lease term, financing term, or warranty period) 
5. A portion of the car-buying public that weighs the risk against their experience; if they have never had a severe flat tire-related issue, not having a spare tire or having one is insignificant.

In all our interactions with customers and industry experts, we have concluded that the last two numbers —4 & 5 —have the greatest influence on the manufacturer’s decision to nix your spare. In short, spare tires are disappearing because car buyers have come to accept it. 

Staff Shenanigans at Tesla 

We’ve had the privilege of chatting with Tesla engineers at trade shows and various industry events we’ve attended. Anecdotally, they told us that Tesla’s decision to omit a spare tire became something of an internal joke. Not in the sense that having a spare was a joke; in fact, it was quite the opposite, as many designers there wanted their cars to have one.

As a company that questions everything, the spare tire concept naturally came up in the early design phases. It adds weight and cost, and with highly sensitive traction-control systems, a typical donut spare would be useless—if not harmful—on a Tesla. 

As for whether to have a spare, Elon completely nixed the idea. The reasoning: a large percentage of spares never see actual use. That’s real data. Despite millions of tire failures on American roads each year, drivers may only experience a tire failure once every 5 years or more. If you know how statistics work, that means some fortunate souls will never have a flat, while others will have many. That type of data point is exactly what Elon looks at, digests, and uses to make industry-changing decisions. Good, bad, or neither, it’s obviously been a successful path for him. 

We were told that selling Tesla models without spare tires was a heated topic early on, despite Elon’s firm stance, and he wouldn’t budge —the data supports him. Instead, they decided to build out a roadside assistance network—albeit imperfect and still mostly localized. But conceptually, it was sufficient to say no to spare tires. 

Furthermore, designing a proper spare would divert real engineering resources from higher-priority areas, as a compatible spare would require more than a passive effort.

So what was the internal joke surrounding spare tires at Tesla? Knowing it was a hot topic where Elon wouldn’t budge, the Tesla engineers told us that staff members would intentionally bring it up in meetings just to ruffle feathers and see where the conversation would go. I wasn’t there, of course—and I took it at face value with a chuckle. However, anyone who has spent time in similar staff meetings can attest that sometimes you’ve got to make it fun.

Still, this story illustrates the perfect storm behind the disappearing spare tire: weight-reduction pressures affecting efficiency specs, modern drive systems intolerant of old-style donuts, and manufacturers reluctant to dedicate engineering time to a component most people may never use during a lease term.

Buying Decisions Are Digital

Carmakers want to be the top line on paper, and I can’t blame them. Most buyers begin their buying decisions long before a test drive. We base model choice on comparison charts, online reviews, and the effects of very costly marketing efforts. We devour specifications online. If removing the weight of a spare improves fuel economy by .1% or adds a single mile of range to your EV, it’s a win for the manufacturer. That weight reduction moves the on-paper claims upward. Save costs and weight, and improve the spec sheets— yeah, it’s a win, until it isn’t. 

Modern Spare was born and is in business for a reason. A flat tire and being stuck on the roadside in bad weather (or good weather) with no spare tire sucks —plain and simple. 

What now seems ridiculous is waiting hours for a tow truck, but gaining a (supposed) extra mile of range by reducing the weight of a spare tire.  

It’s the classic trap of data-driven decision-making: optimizing for the majority while quietly creating massive downside for the minority. Statistically rare doesn’t mean insignificant when you happen to be the one stranded on the roadside. 

On paper, it makes sense: most people never need their spare tire. Fair enough. But real life isn’t lived on paper. 

When it matters, it matters a lot.  

Our Early Dose-of-Reality Moment

Early in Modern Spare’s history—long before we sold our first spare tire —we realized we couldn’t simply offer what carmakers used to provide in a typical donut spare tire, even if we got them to “fit” modern cars. They are simply not suitable, and that would be a colossal miss. The level of sophistication we see in modern vehicles was intimidating at first, and we realized we needed to go deep into engineering and research to understand what’s required to make a Modern Spare for modern cars—the very task the carmakers chose to set aside. In short, the only way forward was to offer spares as advanced as the vehicles they support. 

Factor in extremely heavy EVs, large high-performance braking components, all-wheel-drive systems, traction control systems, and many less-than-obvious design elements like wheel offset and tire diameter tolerance, and you can now see that the work was cut out for us. 

Not to belabor the point, but gee-whiz, try getting the proper offset on a narrow spare wheel AND getting it to clear massive high-performance brake components. We are talking about very conflicting design requirements here. 

As nerdy as all this sounds, we are proud of what we have accomplished, especially when it comes to design elements that our customers will never notice, yet are critically important. 

Our mantra—using Tesla as an example—is simple: 

“If we designed and manufactured Tesla vehicles, what spare tire would we offer to go with them? Thankfully, Tesla is doing a great job with the cars, so we only needed to be laser-focused on the spare.”

Now, as competitive pressures push manufacturers to stay relevant and major leaps in automotive technology span the entire industry, this mantra applies to every brand we support.